Unexpected Occupation
by Punchbuggie
Summary: Set after Deathly Hallows, George finds Percy a new job...as a Muggle department store Santa? For the Unexpected Occupation Challenge on the Harry Potter FanFiction Challenges forum.


**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**

**This is for the Unexpected Occupation Challenge by xxjonibaby on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum.**

Note to self: Never ask George was you can do to make things up to him.

It was three weeks after the Hogwarts battle, and I sat with my family at dinner in silence. I had stayed at the Burrow for a week after the battle, then left, this time remaining a part of the family, but as of that night I had visited for dinner eight times. Mum was lonely—all of us had slowly started moving out, seeing as Ginny was the only one left at Hogwarts—and she was also prone to fits of tears.

We all sat in silence, glancing at each other. Perhaps it was just my perspective, but it seemed that a majority of these glances were directed at me. I still felt uneasy, being surrounded by them all. They'd accepted my apology too easily, every one of them. I felt like I owed them something. It was driving me crazy.

"Er...great potatoes, Mum," I said quietly, to break the silence.

"Thank you, P--"

I cut her off, saying, while staring at my plate, "I was just wondering...if there's...anything I can do to...you know...make things up to you. Any of you."

I looked up, and it was not two seconds before the table burst out into "No, of course not"s, and "Nothing, nothing at all"s. All but one were protesting.

"George?" I asked hopefully.

"Nothing, Perce. I was just thinking...since you lost your job and all, on our account--"

"I quit, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Oh, Percy!" cried Mum.

"All the same," said George thoughtfully. "I know people who know people, and I think I could find you something you'd like better."

"Er, all right, but..."

"And Percy? There _is_ something..."

"Yes?"

"Pass the potatoes, will you?"

............

I didn't know why it was taking him months, and since he hadn't mentioned anything about the mysterious job search, I assumed he must have forgotten.

It was November when he said, "Percy, is today a good day?"

"For what?" I asked, looking up from a book.

"Starting work, of course!"

"Well, I--" I began, confused but refraining from wondering aloud how contacting these people could have taken so long. The thought, which my family had negated over and over again but which I still believed, that I had cost him his twin brother by coming to the Battle of Hogwarts still kept me from saying anything less than kind to George.

"Don't worry, you've already been interviewed and all. Everything's settled," he said, beaming.

"But how...?"

"Polyjuice Potion, of course! It was pretty difficult, actually, with all the red hairs lying around...the first time I changed into Charlie, then it was Ginny...Now, you'll have to wear these, since we'll be passing some Muggles."

He dumped a pair of Muggle jeans and a Weasley sweater that I recognized as the one I had sent back. I had learned that Mum had an entire stack of them made in case I came back, which, as she had told me numerous times, she knew I would. And so, George added an enormous amount of weight to the guilt wagon. I wondered in he was aware.

When I had changed into the "Muggle" clothes, I was once again surprised as he blindfolded me.

"Sorry! I want it to be a surprise!"

"I look ridiculous!" I protested, forgetting to withhold my negative comments toward him.

"Your mother worked very hard on that sweater, young man," he said in a good imitation of Dad, knowing full well that I was not talking about the sweater. He steered me into the fire and yelled, "Leaky Cauldron!"

The journey didn't end there, of course. I was bumped around, and everywhere I went I heard laughing.

"Why aren't we App--"

"Shh! Muggles!"

After a few more turns he tore the blindfold off. We were standing in a bright room filled with—_Oh, no. _It was some kind of Muggle store.

Before I could do anything, a large Muggle man approached me and said, "You're Percy Wazlib, aren't you?"

"Actually, it's—it's Weasley."

"That's what I said. Wazlib. Well, here you are."

He dumped an enormous, red Santa suit into my arms and walked away. Behind me, I could hear George's voice saying:

"Yes, I'm his brother. George Wazlib."

Apparently being only one half of a pair of rule-breakers had not stopped George from pulling one of his biggest pranks yet.


End file.
